N97683Cessna 182Q · 1979

On August 5, 2022, about 1110 central daylight time, a Cessna 182Q airplane, N97683, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Benton, Kansas. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, at 400 to 500 ft above ground level, the airplane’s engine stopped producing power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a plowed field. During the landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Substantial damage was sustained to the left wing, empennage, rudder, and vertical stabilizer.

An examination of the engine was conducted under the auspices of the Federal Aviation Administration. The engine rotated freely, and the valves in all 6 cylinders operated properly, as did both magnetos. The engine fuel bowl and filter, as well as the carburetor’s finger fuel screen, contained no foreign material. All cylinders except No. 6 had good compression. The No. 6 cylinder walls were scored, and between the 2nd compression ring and the oil control ring some non-ferrous material was present. Throttle, propeller, and mixture controls functioned properly. An adequate amount of fuel was found in the fuel tanks and no fuel contamination was found.

Meteorological conditions were not conducive to the production of serious carburetor icing under the conditions which the airplane was operating. No anomalies were detected which would have contributed to a loss of engine power.